Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 5.djvu/56

112 STAT. 2814 PUBLIC LAW 105-292—OCT. 27, 1998 SEC. 604. INADMISSffilLITY OF FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO HAVE ENGAGED IN PARTICULARLY SEVERE VIOLA- TIONS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. (a) INELIGIBILITY FOR VISAS OR ADMISSION.— Section 212(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: "(G) FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO HAVE ENGAGED IN PARTICULARLY SEVERE VIOLATIONS OF RELI- GIOUS FREEDOM.— Any alien who, while serving as a foreign government official, was responsible for or directly carried out, at any time during the preceding 24-month period, particularly severe violations of religious freedom, as defined in section 3 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, and the spouse and children, if any, are inadmissible. ". 8 USC 1182 note. (b) EFFECTIVE DATE. —The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to aliens seeking to enter the United States on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 22 USC 6474. SEC. 605. STUDIES ON THE EFFECT OF EXPEDITED REMOVAL PROVI- SIONS ON ASYLUM CLAIMS. (a) STUDIES. — (1) COMMISSION REQUEST FOR PARTICIPATION BY EXPERTS ' ON REFUGEE AND ASYLUM ISSUES.— I f the Commission so requests, the Attorney General shall invite experts designated by the Commission, who are recognized for their expertise and knowledge of refugee and asylum issues, to conduct a study, in cooperation with the Comptroller General of the United States, to determine whether immigration officers described in paragraph (2) are engaging in any of the conduct described in such paragraph. (2) DUTIES OF COMPTROLLER GENERAL. —The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study alone or, upon request by the Commission, in cooperation with experts designated by the Commission, to determine whether immigration officers performing duties under section 235(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1225(b)) with respect to aliens who may be eligible to be granted asylum are engaging in any of the following conduct: (A) Improperly encouraging such aliens to withdraw their applications for admission. (B) Incorrectly failing to refer such aliens for an interview by an asylum officer for a determination of whether they have a credible fear of persecution (within the meaning of section 235(b)(l)(B)(v) of such Act). (C) Incorrectly removing such aliens to a country where they may be persecuted. (D) Detaining such aliens improperly or in inappropriate conditions. (b) REPORTS.— (1) PARTICIPATION BY EXPERTS. —In the case of a Commission request under subsection (a), the experts designated by the Commission under that subsection may submit a report to the committees described in paragraph (2). Such report may be submitted with the Comptroller General's report under subsection (a)(2) or independently.